The home fires will be harder to keep burning "UPDATE"

THE price of coal will soon be going up. Guernsey Coal managing director David Meeks was unavailable for comment on how much the increase would be, but subsidiary Jersey Coal has confirmed that the increase would take effect in both islands on 1 October.

General manager Sean Blake said: ‘Guernsey is much cheaper at the moment [about £7-£7.50 per 25kg bag, whereas the cost in Jersey is £10.19], but we have had extra stocks for the past couple of years. Now that those have been exhausted, Guernsey will increase much more substantially to bring the islands more in line.’

In the British market, UK Coal recently announced that there had been a 45% rise in the market price since the beginning of the year. The price varies according to transport costs but one company in Kent sells a 25kg bag of house coal for £6.70.

If the 45% rise were to be reflected in Guernsey, the price would increase to just under £11. The rising cost is a worldwide problem due to higher demand and lower supply. In addition, many of the world’s biggest mines were affected by extreme weather earlier in the year (from thisisguernsey)

there are going to be a lot of folks cold this winter. unfortunatly the lower income families will be the one to suffer

Coal buying up ahead of cost rise

The cost of a bag of coal is due to rise
A Guernsey supermarket has reported customers buying two or three times as much coal as usual ahead of Wednesday's price rise.

The cost of a 25kg (55lb) bag of coal is due to increase from £7.50 to £11.

Chief executive of the Channel Islands' Co-op Jim Hopley has described the rise as "frightening".

The States has voted to increase supplementary fuel benefit from £19.30 a week to £22.70, but a deputy believes a further rise may be necessary.

This will be a problem for a number of people over the winter

Deputy Barry Brehaut

Mr Hopley said: "Although we support local supply whenever we can, this sort of rise is frightening.

"We're hoping we might be able to bring some more coal in from sources in the UK, which would reduce the price back down considerably."

States Deputy, Barry Behaut, has called for the 17% increase in the fuel benefit to be reviewed.

He said: "The social security department did the right thing ... but not really knowing who the recipients are and what sort of fuel that they burn," he said.

"This will be a problem for a number of people over the winter."

He said he would be taking up the matter at a health and social security departments' meeting later.

The rise in the cost of coal has been imposed by Guernsey Coal.

The distributor said it was necessary to cover higher exchange rates and higher shipping and transport costs. (from BBC news)

a 50kg bag of housecoal in a small town in scotland costs £11.50 delivered.we are paying almost that for a 25 kg bag .why such a difference in cost.

Just heard on the radio that Checkers are to import their own coal they are talking about £7.00 a 20kg bag buy two get one free. also the COOP are going to import their own also. Sounds like better news.

jersy is £11.40 for 25 kgs of housecoal
isle of man is £16.95 for 50 kgs of housecoal

cheap coal now on sale at checkers.works out at just under £16 for 60 kgs .get on down there and buy buy buy

There's been a rush to buy coal in Guernsey ahead of a 45% price hike. At one outlet a fresh delivery was sold out within 24 hours.

The island's main distributor says it's had no choice but to put prices up as a stock brought in three years ago is now exhausted.

In response to the very high price rise in Guernsey and the 20% hike in Jersey, the Channel Islands Co-op will start importing its own supplies and retailing at lower prices. (from CIonline)

I think that the Guernsey Coal has shot itself in the foot... watch it drop it's prices ...

ISLANDERS should not expect to see a price war among garages selling coal because the product is just not profitable enough, according to Trevor Hockey, owner of Trev’s Motorcycles.

His comments followed concerns over escalating heating costs. Coal has gone up 45% locally and Mr Hockey said he did not know of any retailer who marked the product up or down from the suggested retail price.

‘The reality is there is very little profit in coal to be able to do any kind of price promotion,’ he said. All garages contacted by the Guernsey Press yesterday now sell their house coal at £11 per 25k bag – the price that came into effect on Wednesday.

That is the same price that customers can get direct from Guernsey Coal and distributors.

‘You can legally have a suggested retail price for coal,’ Mr Hockey said. ‘We actually tried to sell discounted coal years ago, but it just didn’t work. Garages that sell coal do so as a service to customers rather than to make profit (from thisisguernsey)

garages apparently only make 45p profit on a bag of coal.just to let you know alliance have got a large stock of coal at the old price of £7.50 and will have for the foreseeable future according to the manager i spoke to today